Sons of Anarchy's Maggie Siff: 'Something In Tara Has Snapped' - But Is the Worst Yet to Come?

Speaking with TVLine about Tara’s recent roller coaster ride, Maggie Siff is quick to hail the “exciting season” FX’s Sons of Anarchy (Tuesdays at 10/9c) unfurled this fall. And with that excitement came dark twists, which in turn presented cast members with new challenges. Has Tara’s promising future in fact been crippled by the damage done to her hand during the botched hit? What “nail in the coffin” will she be threatened with next? And can Tara and Jax’s love withstand so much woe? Here is what Siff shared with us about the good doctor’s run of very bad luck.

TVLINE | When you first read the scene where Tara’s hand is crushed by the van door, were you as devastated as we were watching it?
The week before the script was released, [series creator] Kurt [Sutter] said he wanted to talk to me, and I was like, “Oh god….” We sat down and he was like, “Don’t worry, you’re not getting killed off.” He then told me what was going to happen, and I had this really sinking feeling in my stomach, because I’m so invested in the character.

TVLINE | I felt a pit in my own stomach just seeing those scenes.
It was interesting how there was a part of me that was so upset, but then my actor brain kicked in and was like, “No, no, this is really good. This is really good.” I had two simultaneous reactions – the part of me that is so personally connected to her felt the deep tragedy of it, the horror over the loss of that gift….

TVLINE | Her surgical skill is one of the few things she owns.
It’s the only thing she owns, really. But like I said, simultaneous with that I was like, “This is going to make my job really interesting for the rest of his show,” as long as she lasts on it. It’s going to make her journey a really good one.TVLINE | What specific challenges did it present you with as an actress? Kurt talked about it with you — he really felt like he needed to “knock her off the fence,” and as we went into the [hospital] scene I wanted to make sure that whatever change I made as a character would be believable, because she’s the one I think a lot of the audience identifies with as the most normal, least outlaw character. I really want people to believe that this character is going to go the places Kurt wants her to go to. For me it was like, “How do I make this as truly devastating as it would be to the extent that it could crack something in this person that doesn’t necessarily come back together again?” Kurt said to me, “Something had to have happened to Gemma to make her Gemma, and this is the thing that’s going to make Tara the Tara we see her become” — and honestly I don’t exactly know what that is. I’m not inside his head, but he has something in mind. As we worked on the end of this season he was laying the foundation for that.

TVLINE | That said, this week Tara’s boss does offer a tiny ray of hope, with one lingering job offer. So she’s not entirely damaged goods.
Not entirely, as far as we know, but…. I think when Tara sees the X-rays of what has happened to her hand, it’s pretty clear that there’s not a lot coming back from that. And this week’s episode is when Wendy (played by Drea de Matteo) shows up, right?

TVLINE | Yeah. Just when you think things can’t possibly get worse, Abel’s birth mother pays a most unexpected visit.
I think for Kurt that was kind of the nail in the coffin, the thing that really pushes her over the edge. Wendy comes and sort of threatens to take away one of the remaining things Tara feels like she has. [Tara even says] “Oh, you thought now would be a good time?”

TVLINE | When you and I spoke in August, you said the John Teller letters would play an important role this season — but I can’t imagine you knew just how much havoc they would wreak. Is Tara going to feel blame for Gemma’s beating? Will she eventually shoulder some guilt over Piney’s death? Isn’t that all born of the letters?
One of the things I was really was struggling with as we worked on these episodes is that there’s so much information that starts to come out — how do you even begin to digest it all? Tara has a pretty sensitive psyche, so even though she’s strong, things move her. It’s almost like a perpetual state of post-traumatic stress disorder, because bad stuff is always happening, so as an actor you’re like, “What would that be like?” And the answer is that there are some things you can process, and some things you can’t. You feel some things acutely, and you go totally numb around others. But yeah, she is a character who takes a lot on herself, and something in her has really snapped. After losing her hand and that gift, and with the possibility of losing her child, there’s something in her that snaps, and then a lucidity and a calm settles in. When you lose so much, you’re like, “What else can there be?”

TVLINE | Did you and Charlie [Hunnam, Jax] have any conversations as you approached this storyline, about the extreme places you wanted to go?
We really didn’t, but we have a lot of trust working with each other. We always leave enough room in the work and in our consideration of it to let things arise spontaneously. I would try to imagine what [filming the scenes in the hospital] could be like, and I had lots of ideas about what it should be, and then once we actually got in there and started working on it, it ended up being something really different. I trust him so much as an actor, and he just responds to whatever comes his way.

TVLINE | Before we go: Are there any encouraging words to offer the Jax/Tara fans out there who are distraught?
[Nervous chuckle] Hmm, encouraging words….

TVLINE | “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”? Want to break out that old chestnut?
“Love never dies, no matter what happens”? [Laughs] Uh… I don’t know. It’s unclear whether she’s going to even make it out of this season alive. There are a lot of threats left out there. I don’t think their love ever really goes away, no matter what happens — but I can’t speak to their future necessarily.

I totally agree. She is so good with her character, fits the role completely. It was so nice to hear her take on the whole roll. Let’s hope she makes it thro next week. She and Gemma fit together at Grandmother/mother-in-law, so to speak, and mother/daughter in law. She needs to stay in this roll for Gemma’s sake, good friend for Gemma.

I totally agree…the intense world she has chosen to live with Jax has caused great struggle throughout the entire series of SOA and one day she will have to choose…unfortunately now, she might not be doing the choosing. Its probably now a case of loosing the career she totally loves

Considering this series has a loose tie to Hamlet, I wonder if Tara will go the way of Ophelia and kill herself. As a fan of Tara, I hope not … but I can see where a despondent Tara might think that her only way out of Charming now is death.

I think if anything happens to the children, she just might. I was thinking much the same thing after her (well-deserved) freakout last week. I really like Tara, even though I think Maggie and Charlie have zero chemistry together.

Zero chemistry? Really? I agree with you though that if anything happens to the kids, she just might suffer Ophelia’s fate. I really really really hope not though as I’m having a hard time accepting that she might die in the near future, let alone by her own hand.

I agree with the lack of real chemistry but I also think the lack comes from Maggie and not Charlie. I have listened to many group interviews and questions from fans and twice now Maggie has mumbled comments about Charlie loud enough for the audience to hear. Charlie ignores them and does not even look her way but the last time Ron looked at her like what’s up. Personally, I think that there is no way Jax stays in the club as long as Tara is alive and I could not imagine a world in which the Cartel would allow her to live. The Cartel needs to have that kill order from Ron over his head to keep him in line, remember what Romeo said about knowing everything that is going on. I don’t think Tara would take her own life because she wouldn’t be that selfish to her boys. Hey, I am wrong 95% of the time but I think that Tara has to go to keep Jax in the Club.

Me too! It’s electric for me when they are together. Their chemistry was a little strained this season – which made sense for me as a viewer in light of the route Jax has had to go to (I think still) keep his family safe and give them a shot to create new futures.

I think the bond between Tara and Jax was strained this year with Jax fully embracing his leadership. I think Tara is struggling with whether you can be “in” only part of the way – does being a part of the SAMCRO world at all mean that she has to be all the way “in”? And we saw in the end of the season what I think is going to be a major shift as far as me as a viewer really figuring out if I think Jax and Tara can hold onto their pure love or if once you introduce any variance from the path they laid together (Jax not admitting his interaction with Wendy, Tara not telling him about the job offer…) that means the root is spoiled.

Anyway, I wandered a little in my response. But I think Jax and Tara have great chemistry; it’s chemistry that makes sense to me – a little left over spark from when they were 16, seeing and accepting one another for who they truly are, building on shared tragedy, and trying to hold one another up as they figure out where they’re going and how to get there. Their “muffled” chemistry this season makes sense to me as we saw Tara establishing herself in “her” world and who she is as a character: someone with a burgeoning role in legit life but a big part of herself committed to loved ones who are inevitably connected to the criminal.

Tara might not be able to be a surgeon, but that doesn’t stop her being a good doctor. There would still be a career available to her away from the gang with a good base income for her and her family. The injury was mentally devastating, but people have suffered from – and come back from – worse.

If SOA doeant get nominated for an award this year for this season the award people need to call it a day. Outstanding acting all around. I really love Tara and Jax’s character, they remind me of my husband, we have been together for 26 years since we were 14, we have been threw allot just like them in simular situations especially in our wild younger years, now we both just ride and enjoy the fresh air, maybe Tara’s character should learn good theropy for the hand. I really hate it when the show messes with the 2 of them, now wendy is back grrr. It will be interesting to see how Tara’s character ends up sometimes good girls have to go bad to be taken seriously (been there)and I know she can kick ass! team Tara and Jax!

I agree 100% with the show deserving an award!! The cast and crew work very hard to give us viewers the BEST drama show ever!! And I hate the fact that Wendy has come back and the only reason is to destroy Tara!! But Jax and Gemma will not let anything happen to Tara or the babys. I hope Clay gets what he deserves!! A BULLET IN THE HEAD BY OPIE!! Clay has had his wife killed and he killed his father just to cover the fact that he killed John Teller!! I hate CLAY but I guess thats what Kurt wants!!! THE BEST SHOW EVER, GOOD WORK TO THE SAMCRO TEAM!!!!!

I totally agree with you about Clay he should be shot he shot Pinky and destroyed alot of people’s lifes in the club and I really hope his day will come soon and I won’t miss it for the world!! He beat Gamma and now someone needs to put a BULLET IN HIS HEAD!!! I can’t stand the way he paided off those men to kill Tara and not to know that Jax was with her and the babies!! And expect to change his mind. Now how stupid and then beats Gamma because she caught on to his DIRTY TRICKS!! I would love to see him DEAD!!

Sorry, but I disagree. I love Gemma but some attitudes I’ll never understand or approve. And one of them is his unconditional love for Clay or the fact that she has helped cover up the death of Piney. I do not believe in love destructive.

That’s part of her character. She will go to any lengths to protect the people she loves. She thought that she could talk sense into Clay. I personally love Gemma and think she’s the most engaging character on the show. I really hope they don’t try and replace her with Tara, it wouldn’t work and would just be really annoying. No one can replace Gemma!

I don’t understand why a Jax/Tara couple fan would be ‘devastated’ by what happened in last week’s episode. Based on Kurt’s interview and this one up until the finale question, I saw nothing to indicate that this injury to her hand would spell doom for her relationship with Jax. As Maggie indicated when talking about Wendy’s arrival, her family is the one thing she has left. She’s going to fight for it tooth and nail.

I stand corrected, however to me the implication of the question is the same regardless of word choice. It implies that Jax/Tara fans are/should be upset or that they are/should have cause for concern. I happen to disagree.

Thanks for the interview. Good to read what Maggie has to say about Tara’s SL. She’s such an amazing actress and the last episode speaks for its self. Can’t wait to watch all this unfold and see where this will take Tara.

If this is a 90 minute episode, that only means MORE COMMERCIALS!! I hate all the commercials.. This show just gets better and better!! I hate that its about to end!! I also have 1st, 2nd, and 3rd seasons on DVD and I watch them all the time… My husband says I got it bad!! I told him “I LOVE IT”!!!!

I think tara needs to toughen up if shes going to make it throught the rest of the season but i think if she becomes a threat to the club bieng exposed jax will have her killed and i think clay is dead within 2 episodes

Tara is a great person.She puts up with alot from the club.If it wasnt for her healing all the injuries clay has cause who the hell is going to be the next doc.As much as everyone wants clay to die her differently wont.Only the innocent will.

They are gonna be lined-up to kill Clay. I sort-of think he knows what lies in store for him, and when the Irish arrive, He arranges to be spirited away to Ireland to ride-out the storm. That could lead to season five, as the SOA returns to Ireland to hunt-down Clay just as they did to find Abel.

I loved the last episode with Tara & Jax..I think it is gonna show you that Tara can be just as much of a bitch as Gemma..Tara & jax have so much love for each other, I do not think this will totally tear them apart, I think that it will bring them closer..Yeah Tara is probably gonna need some time out – but I am still lovin Tara & Jax – they have got something real special together~

I’m so hooked on all of the actors each and every move..Awsome job for the writer as well as the actors..I love how they put one of the guys in the club as a mixed race which will be an issue I think they will deal with one day but I hope that despite the race he will be able to continue as a member because it’s all he has..like many other members…and I hope Clay is found out but not killed off the show because ever show needs that villain they love to hate and that gives a reason for all the chaos within the club and family…without his evil part of the script where would that leave us, the viewers? As far as Gemma, I think she’s going to stand her own and pay Clay back but in her own Gemma way but I think she will use the fact that Clay killed John and Piney as a way to make Jax turn against him..then it will cause not only jax to go after Clay but hopefully it will also finially make him tell Oppie the truth about the death of his first wife..I could go on and on because there are so many details and parts of this story that the writer has arranged perfectly to keep my attention not to mention on the edge of my seat each week..At this point he has made EVERY actor so important to the show in some way which keeps us as viewers guessing and wishing so many different things to happen and it can…they def desearve to win not only best show but best writer and best actors in any show out there at this time!!!keep up the great imagination in the writing and keep the characters that make this show alive so that the show will continue on for a very long time…I love Charlie like so many and if he was killed off or replaced I truly don’t think the show would be the same….

I definitely thought Wendy died from a heroin overdoes in the first season… When they showed her in the preview for this episode I was like “Wait, what?”… I watched seasons 1 and 2 marathon style last Summer so it was kind of “on to the next thing” but I could swear she died. What the hell happened to her, then?

Sons of Anarchy has become an addiction- Sutter’s brilliant writing, along with the stunning ensemble of actors has propelled this series into a league of its own. Clearly, this series is worthy of several awards. Thank you FX for having the integrity to broadcast this program.

Maggie Siff has always made Tara a great character. Last week gave us one of the finest Maggie Siff/Charlie Hunnam scenes in recent memory and should put on someone’s early Emmy shortlist. Katey Segal’s scenes with Margaret in the Chapel and Clay in the beat down scene were both phenomenal and she remains the best. Everyone has had great episodes this season and I think all this build up is heading for an episode featuring the least mentioned Son this season, veteran character actor Kim Coates and Gemma’s secret lover “Tig”.

You should have asked Maggie Siff who she likes working with better, Sutter and Hunnam or Weiner and John Hamm. I bet its much more fun working in Charming!

I agree..thank you to FX to have the you know what to see true talent and great story lines instead of thinking its to in your face…we the viewers are able to get lost in this show and for a lot of us we need that time to get out of our own word and to also for myself to come away appreciating how great it is that my family and i are fortunate enough to NOT to have to live that way:)

This is by far the most amazing show on tv…..I saw Gemma give up (mentally) the man she has loved for the past 10-20 years ,Clay signed his own death warrant and turn ferral against the only one who loved him (Ron you rocked) love this cast and show

Show seems to be focusing a lot on Juice. I wonder if he is going to have anything to do with Clay’s death (perhaps a set up w/the cartel). I’m bummed that Wendy is back–Looks like its going to be another wound in Tara and Jax’s relationship.

i love the team jax an tara.i cant wait to see tara kick maggies butt..an she will. ur right about what doesent kill her will make her stronger..thats a fact. SOA IS THE BEST SHOW ON TV AN DEFINATLEY DESERVES AN AWARD….LONG LIVE SOA. LONG LIVE SAMCRO

I also love the Jax & Tara team. Many people say Tara is boring but I think Tara is great. She absolutely loves Jax and has proven she will do anything for him. I would like to see Tara take on more of a Gemma role. I have watched SOA since it first started and can’t wait to watch every week. Keep bringing the seasons on. We all know there is so much more to come out. Thank you!!

I agree that Clay needs to be shot. HOWEVER, much as I dislike Ron Perlman/Clay, the show is very dependent on him. I am afraid it would lose traction if he were to be killed. Wounded and unable to function is another possibility. I have a feeling they will keep him around, at least through the end of this season. Then next season the theme can wind around trying to kill Clay. With him gone, perhaps Jax will stay with the Club. All that said, I think it will be the old Sheriff who ends up killing Clay. He is so dedicated to Gemma, it seems only logical to me. BTW, what is the connection between Gemma and the Sheriff? I think I missed it somewhere along the line.

My husband is the one who got me to watch SOA. It is something we do together. I think Tara’s character, is 80% of the population. Struggle between love of a person, love of a career. Doing wrong or right, following your heart regardless of the consequence. Watching Tara struggle with all of that, but still holding on to what’s normal and the man she loves, keeping balance with the club, job, kids, good, bad, evil, and what’s pure and holy. I think Tara rocks. I love how jax’s still gives her passion and love after everything. He struggles the same way. He wants what’s normal, but what is normal for him? What life do you have after only living chaos? I’m excited to see what happens next.

I feel there’s only 1 Gemma and Katey is perfect in that roll. I don’t want Tara or anyone to take away Gemma’s signature character. No one will ever be able to offer the preformance that Katey does as Gemma to be even close to believable. Jax/Tara: I agree with others no believeable on screen chemistry there. Wendy coming back depending on the story line could show that many woman deserve the chance to change themselves, get clean and be back with their children. As far as Tara/Jax’s, Tara wanting out of Charming so badly before/now, is she going to become a bitter woman now? If she does become bitter she’s got to go away somewhere, anywhere. It would be nice to see Jax happy and smiling more. There’s ALWAY’S an issue with Tara that makes him unhappy, miserable & stressed out. I don’t dislike Maggie (Tara),I just feel that the Jax/Tara relationship issue’s are becoming way to important in the story line and it’s taking to much time away from the Club Members/Actors and other characters. I LOVE SOA and will always watch no matter who lives/dies or whatever way Kurt decides to go but, I do believe that Charlie & Katey need to stay on this FANtastic show to the end.

Ok, I feel like you just took the thoughts right out of my brain and expressed them much more eloquently then I ever could. I’m not a Tara fan, I never have been, but I don’t dislike her character and Maggie is a great actress. But I’m really annoyed they seem to be morphing Tara into another Gemma. There is only one Gemma and with Tara suddenly the new queen it seems as though they’re almost shunning Gemma and replacing her with a new Gemma-esque version of Tara. While I understand she’d be less innocent then she was in season 1 it just seems out of character for her to become Gemma, and not entirely believable. As well as that Gemma spent over 30 years taking care of those guys, being the matriarch and the mother figure, and to have her cast aside makes no sense, especially since the interaction Tara has had with the guys has been limited and usually only when she is with Jax or stitching someone up.
Ok, big long rant over. I’m just really hoping they handle this Gemma thing well and stop putting so much emphasis on Tara/Jax and so many obstacles in their way, maybe even let them smile once in a while. But whatever happens I’ll still be watching, I just love SOA too damn much.

Tara and Gemma are the best and tara and jax belong together! maggie deserves an award for the hospital scene and Gemma has been through to much! clay needs to get a bullet in the head by jax, gemma or opie. I wish gemme wouldn’t have missed last week. and uggg Wendy she needs to o.d. already!

Props to Kurt Sutter. Superb writing all the way around. So many things going on in such a tight knit organization, anything could happen. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, the show takes a completely different turn…….then the episode is over leaving us shocked confused and ticked off cause were left hanging. We love it though because we can’t wait til next week to see what’s gonna happen.

I really enjoy Maggie’s work and hope she continues on for as long as she wants.

I am kind of scarred to see the changes that are about to occur to her character. She is right though, I have always seen her as the normal one, well at least as normal as one can be in those circumstances.

I think Tara and Gemma are gonna’ tear it up in the future and I looking forward to it!

I love this show my husband watches it with his chapter n now im hooked. I love watchin tara n wendy battle over jacks and jacks is sooo sexii. But I love how the show keeps u on edge n its never the same thing its always diff. Keep up the good work. N keep the shows comeing

SOA is such a great show.Someone commented that there is no chemistry between Maggie and Charlie. I can not disagree more. Their relationship is one of the best aspects of the show. I don’t believe Tara would kill herself because of her boys. I wonder if she will become more invovled in the club and be more like Gemma. This is a great show because it keeps us guessing about what comes next. Great writing carried out by great actors!!!

I love this show. The storyline is so addictive! Kurt Sutter has made TV viewing enjoyable again! The cast are fantastic, I hope they get rewarded this year at the awards! Bring on next week…..What will happen? Oh next week can’t come soon enough!!!!!

Big fan,i really dont think the confrontation will go smoothly between otto and bobby, i reckon gemma will somehow feed drugs to wendy to send her off the path again,having handed in his patch has tig gone nomad?i would really like to see clay suffer before his death lol but i reckon that will be left up in the air in the finally and we wont know at whose hand he has been killed, and how is juice gunna get out of his situation mmm ???

I like all the characters. Gemma is great and tara is too. I was hoping she wouldn’t lose her baby and I hope she stays with jax they need to do something with abel’s natural mother get rid of her once and for all. this show rocks

I don’t like the Jax and Tara relationship,simply because his involvement with her, has spelled the end of any sexual tension or semi-nude shots of Jax. It has been an entire season since we have seen even a glimpse of Jax’s back with the SOA tattoo on it.Remember when he was in Ireland with Trinity. Now he seems like a more goody goody faithful husband and daddy, than a true biker.

I totally think Charlie and Maggie have zero chemistry, I’ve been saying that since season 1. ZERO! In fact, I even thought the character of Jax had more chemistry with Agent Stall in Season three, when their interactions were almost tense flirtations. I absolutely believe Jax is capable of loving and staying faithful Tara, but I wish I actually SAW why. I just don’t with these two, who are both great actors — just not as fierce lovers.